Pressurized dispensing device



March 1961 J. P. MODDERNO PRESSURIZED DISPENSING DEVICE Filed May 22,1957 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,973,883 Patented Mar. 7, 1961 icePRESSURIZED DISPENSING DEVICE John Paul Modderno, Gambrills, Md.,assignor to Modern-Lab, Incorporated, Baltimore, Md., a corporation ofMaryland Filed May 22, 1957, Ser. No. 660,897

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-94) The present invention relates to a compartmental,pressurized dispensing device for keeping two or more materialsseparated from each other until time of use. More particularly, thisinvention relates to a pressurized container in which two or morematerials are kept separated from each other and, prior to use, arereleased together under pressure to be combined in a mixing chamberbefore dispensing from the pressurized device.

It will be appreciated that there are various compositions which cannotbe marketed in premixed form. Such compositions as creamy whipped foods,paints, lacquers, sprays, insecticides containing ingredients, two ormore component systems and the like, in the final composition whichcannot be mixed until use because the mixing of these ingredients wouldcause corrosion to the container or degradation of the product due tocontinuous contact or standing. Materials of this type require a specialpackaging and dispensing device in or der to maintain the portionsdistinct in storage condition-during shipment and in storage prior tosale, and yet to allow them to be brought together in a convenientmanner when their use is desired.

The present invention is directed broadly to the dispensing of all typesof compositions of the above-mentioned character and it has foundutility for foods, insecticides, lacquers and paint compositions, andthe like, which, to be effective as. usable products, must be mixed insitu when use is desired. It isfessential in thecommercialization ofsuch products that their ingredients be held in the proper proportions,each in a state of inactivity for an indefinite period of time toaccount for shipping and storage periods, to provide an effectiveproduct when needed.

pensing only a part of the composition if the user does not require thefull amount atone time, andthat the remainder can be stored unmixeduntil more of the composition is required. It is of economic importancethat one use of the contents of the container should not precludefurther use of the contents therein.

The dispensing container of this invention meets these needs and allowsfor repeated use of the material when desired by providinga combinationof separating means and means for simultaneous discharge into a chamberfor mixing the contents of the compartments, utilizing the pressure inone compartment to discharge the material in the other compartment andthus allow ameasured or metered amount of each ingredient to be mixedprior to dispelling for the intended use. Thus, the con tents of thecontainer can be reused repeatedly andultilized for home or commercialconsumption in a manner heretofore unknown to the art. surizedcontainers, such as fire extinguishers, aerosol devices, and the like,are known'in the art, there is not known in the prior art a pressurizedcontainer which is uniquely adaptable as a package for compositionsabove-described to allow compartmentalizing of ingredi- Although pres--It is also highly desirable that the dispensing device be capable ofmixing and disit). symmetrically spaced in the bottom wall 18 of an vnular insert 15 are two upwardly extending circular cuts to be broughttogether in amixing chamber under mediate use. 7

It is the object of this invention to provide'a compartmentalizeddispensing device suited for packaging compositions, the ingredients ofwhich must be kept separate until use, which meters the desired amountsof the ingredients into a mixing chamber prior to discharge from thedevice. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a compartmentalizedpressure dispensing device in which the pressure in one compartmentcontaining ingredient for forming a composition can be utilized todispel from other compartment or compartments in the containeringredient or ingredients in measured amounts to form the desiredcomposition.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide for a multiplevalve mixing chamberin which a discharge cap efiects simultaneousoperation of the valves, thereby allowing metered amounts .ofingredients from each compartment to mix to form the desired compositionbefore dispelling it from the device.

It is still another objectof the invention to provide acompartmentalized container in which the discharge head can be removedin order to clean the mixing chamber in which two or more ingredients inmetered amounts are mixed to form the desired composition prior todispelling it from the device.

Additional objects of the invention will become apparent fromexamination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims.

The inventionwill be described further in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which are to be considered as exemplification. ofthe invention and do not constitute limitation thereof.

In the drawings, V r

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the compartmentalpressurized, dispensing device of the pres ent invention showing a dualvalve arrangement,

Figure 2 is'a side view in elevation of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line'3r3 of Figure 1-showing the details of valve depressing bosses and the discharge nozzle,and

Figured is a fragmentary cross-sectional-view of one of the valves shownin Figure 2 for discharging an in gredient under pressure into themixing chamber.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates the pressurizeddispensing device of the present inven-. tion in. which a container 10has a bottom portion 11 and a cup-shaped cover 12 fitting onto the opentop of container 10 and clinched by'a rolling flange 13 to provide anhermetic seal between cover 12 and the container 10. The top of coverj12defines a central aperture, the portion of cover. 12 forming theboundary of the aperture being in the form of a rolled flange or head14. -'Seated into the aperture is an annular insert 15 and a flange 16which embraces the bead 14 and is clinched o'r-rolledtheretd torformtherewith an hermetic seal; Annular insert 15 has. a concave portion 17which .depends downwardly into cover 12 and terminates in a bottom wallls parallel with the bottom of container bosses 19, each definingtherein a circular opening. The circular openings in'the flat facebosses provide an annularfiange 20. V o Each upwardly extending bossdefines a cylindrical opening concentric-with the .hole provided in theface of the boss. Extending into the cylindrical opening of each boss isa short tube 21, the' axis of which coincides with thecenterof the holein the, fiat face of bos's 19,j-the tube extending. downwardlyintocontainer.10:. In the bottom portion of the short tube 21 is an annularseat ring 22on y portion of the 1 the inner surface thereof adapted toreceive a valve 23 in seating relation therewith. Valve 23 is providedwith a valve stem 24 whic h extends upwardly through short tube 21 andprojects a short distance out of the hole defined by the face of boss 19(see Fig. 4). On the top portion of the valve stem 24, before it passesthrough the hole in the flat faceof boss 19, is a pair of lugs 25.Disposed around valve stem 24 is a compression spring 26, one end ofwhich rests against the top of annular valve seat ring 22 and the otherend rests against lugs 25, thereby biasing valve 23 against valve seat22. Attached to the short tube of one of the valve arrangements is adischarge tube 27 through which the material under pressure in thecontainer passes when valvestem 24' is depressed.

Attached to the other valve arrangement and mounted on short tube 21a isa pliable tube 28" depending downwardly into the container and sealed atits bottom end 29 to form a rigidly mounted closed tubular containercapable of having its walls collapse against each other when the valvearrangement is opened to discharge the contents of the tube by theexternal pressure thereabout.

Slidably mounted in the annular insert 15 is a discharge cap 36 (seeFigure 3) having top portion 31 and an annular skirt 32 so proportionedas to form a sliding fit with the inner walls of annular insert 15.Depending from the underside of top portion 31 are two valve activatinglugs 33 having a circular depression 34 centrally located therein andadapted to fit over the extended portion of valve stem 24-when the capis inserted in annular insert 15. In top portion 31 is an opening 35leading into a discharge nozzle 36. Opening 35 allows for communicationthrough nozzle 36 with a discharge chamber "7 formed by the annularskirt 32 and the inner surface of annular insert 15 when the cap 30 isengaging the side walls of the annular insert;

It is understood that the cap 30 can be a screw cap arrangement capableof being threaded in an annular insert provided with an internalthread,or any other suitable arrangement where the cap can be removed so thatthe contents within the annular insert can be cleaned therefrom aftermixing of the separate ingredients discharged through the separatevalves and discharge of the resulting composition.

In operation, collapsible tube 28 is filled with one de sired ingredientfor forming a composition, the ingredients of which must be keptseparate until use, and is hermetically sealedin its discharge end toshort tube 21a located in annular insert 15 forming a part of cover 12.On short tube 21 is mounted dispensing tube 27. In the container isplaced the other ingredient or compatible ingredients which, whenbrought together with the ingredient in tube 28, forms the desiredcomposition. The cover 12 is then hermetically sealed by rolling flange13 and is scaled position places the collapsible tube 28 and dischargetube 27 is a depending position extending downwardly into the container10 which holds the other ingredient or compatible ingredients to bemixed with the ingredient in. tube 23. The can is then charged to adesired pressure (around 40. pounds) by a propellant gas, which in thecase of food products can be an argon gas. Annular skirt 32 or cap 30 isthen inserted in annular insert so that the circular depression 34 ofeach dependent lug 33 fits over the extended portion of each valve. stem22- of each valve to finish the assembly of the pressurized dispensingdevice.

T he ingredients in. the container can then be stored for a period andcan be mixed for use by merely depressing the top of cap 39 so that thebosses 33 depress valve stems 24 of each valve, thereby unseating. thevalveseat 23 so that the material under pressurein the container willpass through tube 27 into mixing chamber 37 and the pressure surroundingtube 28 will cause its collapse, thereby forcing the ingredientsfromtube 28 into the mixing chamber where the composition is mixed priorto dispensing through nozzle 35. In this manner, a metered amount ofeach ingredient can be provided in the mixing chamber by the arrangementof the size of the valve openings so that when the dispensing cap ispressed downward, the proper proportions of the ingredients escape fromeach compartment into the mixing chamber.

As this container is useful for materials which are normally notcompatible over a period of time or which form hardened mixtures, theremoval of the cap allows for cleaning of the residual composition fromwithin the annular insert. For example, in the case of Water-solublematerials, the annular insert with the cap removed may be placed under astream. of water. andthe. mixing chamber can be cleaned of all residueof composition, thereby readying the container for instant and efiicientuse for mixing another portion of the composition as desired.

When a product having a heavy, creamy consistency is desired, it hasbeen found that argon gas. provides anexcellent propellent anddispensing agent forthe device of this invention. It has been found thatargon provides an aerosol propellent which will dispense a product withthe minimum of foaming. Control of foaming is important where thecomposition desired must have a creamy consistency witha minimum amountof bubbles therein, such as molding of dental impressions. An excessiveamount of bubbles would produce undesirable porosity, which would notallow the mold to present a continuous film surface having all thedetailed impressions of the oral cavity that are necessary for making ausable denture. it has also been found that the degree of solubility canbe controlled by providing a propellent gas which will give the. desiredresults by mixing an insoluble gas, such as argon, with a more solublegas, such as nitrous oxide. Mixtures of gases prepared in this mannercan be used to give the desired results depending upon the amount offoaming that is acceptable and the nature of the ingredients forming thedispensed product.

It has been found that pressures between 30 and 50 psi. give very goodresults, but other pressures can be used. When using high pressures,the. thickness and bursting strength of the container must be taken intoconsideration. It has. also been found that the range of pressure issomewhat dependent upon the physical conditions of the material to bedispensed and whether it is to be dispensed as an aerosol or a plasticmass.

The collapsible tube can be made of any type of film material in whichthe walls are strong enough to resist any pushing of the material in anupward direction, which would obstruct the valve opening. It has beenfound that these tubes maybe made of 3. Mylar film, which is a trade.name for a highly durabletransparent, water to pellant film ofpolyethylene terephthalate resin characterized by outstanding strengthand chemical inertness. Many other materials may be used to form thetube, e.g.. polyethylene, nylon, rubber,,and the like.. The thickness ofthe material will depend, of course, upon the condition under which thepressurized container is to operate, and

the type of tube will in likemanner depend on the nature of theingredients and to some extent on the product to be dispensed from thecontainer.

' It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to atwo-compartment dispensing device but a plurality of collapsible tubescan be provided with a corresponding valve for each tube so that morethan two incompatible components of a composition can be broughttogether in a mixing chamber, as heretofore described, and such aplurality of collapsible tubes comes within the breadth and scope ofthis invention.

Although the present invention has been shown and described in terms ofpreferred embodiments, nevertheless variouschanges and modificationssuch as are obvious to one skilled in the art are deemed to be withinthe purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressurized dispensing. device for discharging a composition formedfrom a plurality of ingredients maintained in separate compartmentscomprising a pressure container having compartments therein separated bya movable wall operable by a differential inpressure be tween adjacentcompartments'when said composition is discharged from the container; adischarge head located on the said container having a discharge nozzletherein, said discharge head forming amixing chamber intermediate theinterior of said container and said discharge head; a plurality of valvemeans located between said mixing chamber and the interior of saidcontainer, each valve means communicating the interior of one of saidcomportments in said container with said mixing chamber, and meansassociated with said discharge head for operating said plurality ofvalve means in unison to release simultaneously the contents of eachcompartment into said mixing chamber to efiect formation of saidcomposition prior to discharge from said nozzle.

2. The pressurized dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 in which eachof said valve means has a discharge opening therein capable ofproportioning a measured amount of material to said mixing chamber.

3. The pressurized dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 in which thedischarge head forming the mixing chamber therewith, is removable forcleaning said chamber, whereby the dispensing device is readied forrepeated use.

4. A pressurized dispensing device for discharging a composition formedfrom a plurality of ingredients maintained in separate compartmentscomprising a pressure container having a portion of the wall thereofconcave to define a recess therein; a plurality of valve meanspositioned between said recess and the interior of said container, eachsaid valve means communicating the interior charge tube for dischargingthe contents from said con tainer into said recess; at least one of saidvalve means having connected thereto a collapsible ingredient-retain-jing compartment positioned within said container operable by adifierential in pressure between the compartment and the container; adischarge head having a material dispensing nozzle therein positioned insaid recess to form a mixing chamber intermediate said container and'said discharge head, the discharge head adapted to slidably operate insaid recess and to actuate said valve means to discharge the contents ofthe container and the ingredient-retaining compartment into said mixingchamber to form a mixture of ingredients therein before dis chargethrough the dispensing nozzle.

5. The pressurized dispensing device as claimed in claim 4 in which saiddischarge head has depending therefrom a plurality of bosses, each bossin line with one of said valve means.

6. The pressurized dispensing device, as claimed in claim 4, in whichthe collapsible ingredient-retaining compartment is rigid in thevertical direction but collapsible in the lateral direction,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,094,761 Thousand Apr. 28, 1914 1,981,446 Apfelbaum Nov. 20, 1934-2,748,985 Seymour June 5, 1956

